Had English playmaker Marcus Smith nailed all his kicks, Robertson’s maiden check may have resulted in a draw. Smith missed eight factors, his All Blacks counterpart Damian McKenzie seven – together with his timed-out penalty.
With that in thoughts, the brand new All Blacks teaching crew had their eyes prised open to depart ample arsenal to throw at their squad as they drive enhancements.
“We’ve received to refine a couple of issues,” Robertson mentioned. “Our job as coaches is to verify we simplify issues to verify everybody thinks quick and acts quick. That’s once we’re at our greatest.
“We’ll be higher for it. Quite a lot of gamers that hadn’t performed shortly received a while underneath their belt. We embedded so much by way of the week and now we will get into it.”
The battle grounds the All Blacks will drill into centre on the Felix Jones-inspired English rush defence. The shaky lineout that misplaced three throws. The breakdown, the place England more and more discovered success stifling and pilfering the New Zealand ball. And decision-making, after taking part in past the first-half siren which allowed England to earn a penalty and draw degree at half time.
McKenzie copped the brunt, however wasn’t alone, in feeling the warmth of the English midfield rush. From the outset, England focused the All Blacks’ second-man performs, designed to present playmakers time and area to hit McKenzie laborious and quick. Rieko Ioane and different New Zealand backs have been additionally flattened by English defenders capturing out of the road.
Whereas McKenzie exploited area to put on Sevu Reece’s opening strive from the boot and Stephen Perofeta skipped out of Ben Earl’s sort out to arrange Ardie Savea, the All Blacks struggled to persistently address the consuming defensive stress.
Line pace has lengthy been the All Blacks’ kryptonite. Kicks to the sting and in behind the road are frequent options however the All Blacks may discover extra success with sturdy, direct ball carriers or concentrating on swap strikes across the ruck.
“When the ball is within the air a very long time with our passes, it provides them time to rise up with spot tackles,” McKenzie mentioned. “Whether or not it’s shortening our passes up or attempting to get the ball to area… the area is there however the way in which England defend, they make it robust to get it there. We’ll have a look at it this week. We did an incredible job at occasions and there’s a couple of occasions we may’ve been a bit higher.
“We knew they have been going to carry that intense line pace. They put us underneath stress a few occasions and we managed to attain an excellent strive firstly.”
Robertson acknowledged combatting the frenzy defence can be a serious focus.
“It’s an artwork,” he mentioned. “We knew they have been coming however it’s one other factor after they’re coming in actual life. There’s some alternatives there we’ll work on, really feel it once more, and belief ourselves.”
All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan can be intent on tackling the breakdown, the place England backs Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Ollie Lawrence and world-class lock Maro Itoje claimed two turnovers every, and the misfiring lineout.
“They’ve received some nice operators, some good, low loosies,” Robertson mentioned. “They assault it so shortly. They get their arms on the ball. Typically our guys are attempting to counter-ruck however their effectivity to learn and anticipate is fairly particular.”
In a possible blow for the All Blacks, veteran halfback T.J. Perenara seems unlikely to be match for the second check at Eden Park subsequent Saturday after struggling a nasty twisted knee late within the first half when Scott Barrett was drilled into him in a cleanout.
Finlay Christie’s injection coincided with the All Blacks’ second-half struggles. Ought to Perenara be dominated out, the All Blacks are contemplating calling in a substitute – probably the Highlanders’ Folau Fakatava or Crusaders rookie Noah Hotham – however Christie seems more likely to be promoted to start out, which might pave the way in which for dynamic Chiefs halfback Cortez Ratima to debut off the bench.
“In the event you ask T.J., he’s nice, he’s woken up in superior situation however we’ll scan him this afternoon, “ Robertson mentioned on Sunday. “We hope it’s a type of ones that appears worse than it truly is. We’ll know undoubtedly tomorrow morning [Monday] however we’ve received plans in place if he’s not proper.”
Liam Napier has been a sports activities journalist since 2010, and his work has taken him to World Cups in rugby, netball and cricket, boxing world title fights and Commonwealth Video games.
